Official Game Day Thread - Toronto @ Winnipeg, September 25, 2026

[Jesse]

'They pay the bills': Accountability part of job for Bombers' Condell

Paul Friesen

It was assistant-coach day at Winnipeg Bombers practice on Tuesday, and you know what that means: a chance to grill the coordinator whose unit screwed up the most in the last game.

Hello, Mike Miller.
"Never see you guys until..." the man in charge of special teams began, as he was being approached by reporters.
Miller was smiling as he said it, unlike the scowl he wore during two plays in particular in Saturday's loss to Toronto.
Two plays doesn't sound like a lot, but when they're two game-changers that book-ended a game that got away – allowing Janarion Grant to score a touchdown on a missed field goal return on Winnipeg's first series, a trick play on a punt return on the Argos' last – they're hard to swallow.
"It caught us off guard," Miller said of the early 128-yard return. "They had a good scheme. They did a really good job of creating that space for Janarion."
To that point the Bombers' special teams had been among the CFL's best.
So it wasn't surprising to see them clamp down for the rest of the game – at least until the critical final Winnipeg punt, when Grant threw the ball laterally to Dave Ungerer to produce a critical 38 yards. The deciding field goal was the result.
"For the most part our guys did a really good job of corralling him and keeping him at bay," Miller said of Grant. "Obviously those two exacerbate the whole day. Because we have been so good this year, we're not used to that Everybody has an off day. Everyone's human."

Then there's offensive coordinator Tommy Condell, who's been under the microscope, and behind the microphones, a lot more than Miller this season.
Having the veteran play-caller replace the inexperienced Jason Hogan this year was supposed to dim the spotlight on the Bomber offence.
Instead, it's burning just as hot, if not hotter.
Fans rightfully want to know how a team can roll up 178 yards through the air and 102 (on 14 carries) from Brady Oliveira in the first half, but only produce 15 yards passing and give Oliveira just four more carries in the second.
"We all know that when you have sacks, they're drive-killers," Condell said, referring to the three takedowns of quarterback Dru Brown in that second half. "You can't get any timing and rhythm in any of the offensive calls. You can't get to things."
There was a deep shot Brown missed, too, Condell pointed out, to receiver Dorian Singer, along with a couple of dropped passes. Add it all up, and you get what Bomber fans paid for on Saturday.
"They pay all the bills," Condell acknowledged. "I usually take the high road. That's my accountability. That's what job I'm in. There's a lot of things... of the inner workings of plays that I certainly will never say in front of them. I'm here to make sure that I protect the coaches, protect the players and do the best product that I can do... and that's part of being accountable.
"So I don't unleash all that type of stuff."
While it's far too easy using hindsight to criticize a play that doesn't work, there's one from Saturday's game that demanded further exploration.
Condell's apparent decision to throw the ball on second-and-four with some two minutes to go came as Oliveira was having a field day against the Toronto defence.
It turned out that wasn't Condell's decision: head coach Mike O'Shea revealed on Monday the initial call was, in fact, a run.
What the Argos did before the snap caused Brown to change the call, after which the defence got to the quarterback for the fifth time that night.
On Tuesday Condell didn't lean on the fact his initial call was a run, though. He didn't even mention it.
He was only worried about the result.
"We got another sack," he said. "With a seven-man protection. That's not good enough. First I have to look at myself from those calls... are we giving those guys a position to be successful? It doesn't go unnoticed."
The mediocre results of Condell's work haven't gone unnoticed, either. His unit has been a regular contributor to the team's 7-7 record and its shaky playoff prospects.
If his name keeps popping up the one day a week assistant coaches are available, it's likely not a good sign.
"I do have the privilege, and it is a privilege, to be in front of you guys," he said. "To be able to answer those tough questions."
Fans would rather see his team score more touchdowns and win a little more consistently – and not hear from him at all.

I hate how Condell says he's the one taking accountability and will take it for the other coaches and players, but did not once say anything about where he erred. He lists player mistakes: the sacks, missed long bomb, dropped passes, as well as implying there were other missed assignments - but he would never mention those.

[Tecno]

So many bashed hogan last year and blamed him for all our woes. They wanted a "real" OC. Well, now you have one and we're going to end the season with less wins than under hogan!

Chew on that one for a while.

Maybe the truth is that these OCs only control so much. Maybe the players screwing up their assignments and getting overpowered by hungrier teams is the bigger problem.

In reality, I think it's all the above.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

I hate how Condell says he's the one taking accountability and will take it for the other coaches and players, but did not once say anything about where he erred. He lists player mistakes: the sacks, missed long bomb, dropped passes, as well as implying there were other missed assignments - but he would never mention those.

Condell always comes across as condescending and defensive in these interviews, they should keep him away from microphones.

[Tecno]

Condell always comes across as condescending and defensive in these interviews, they should keep him away from microphones.

Not so much condescending as obfuscating. He says a metric ton of words but doesn't say much. There's almost no substance. I think he actually gives us fewer nuggets than MOS!

I get the impression he's on the spectrum. I'm not complaining, though, as that's not uncommon for a gifted thinker.

Overall I still think Condell has been a positive for us. I still would have preferred lapo, who fits our team mentality better, but Condell is certainly the best of the available rest.